The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-05-12
EVERY INCHA HERO,
The Assassination of Sam Davis by the
Yankees in 1868.
By J. b. KELLEBREW.

By J. B. KELLEBREW.
One of the saddest and most
thrilling events of the civil war was
the hanging of Sam Davis, in Pu-
laski, Tenn, Nov. 81, 1868. He
was a young man of excellent hab-
its, and possessed Il courage that
nothing could daunt. He was rear
ed in the country and up to the
time Of the breaking out of HOSTILE
ties labored on the farm. He enter
ed the army in 1861, in his 18th
year, joining Col. Ledbetter's com
pany of the First Tennessee regi-
ment, and in short time his BRAY
cry, prudence and zeal recommend
ed him to his commanding officer
as one fitted to perform the arduous
and perilous duties of scout. He
was accordingly detached from his
regiment and made a member OF
Coleman's scouts.
Toward the close Of October,
1868, it was considered highly i'm
portant to the success Of Bragg's
movements that the strength Of the
Federal Notifications of Middle
Tennessee should be accurately
known, and young Davis was select
ed to procure this information.
He set out on his dangerous mis-
sion, and, after securing all the in
formation that was expected or de-
sired, be was arrested on his return
on the Goth of Novem Der, within
the Federal lines, with the plans Of
the fertilization OF Nashville and all
other places in Middle Tenne ssee
on his person. The accuracy of
these plans and the minuteness Of
detail showed at once that his in
formant was man holding q high
position among the Federal engi-
neers, and when questioned concern
ing his sources Of information,
young Davis candidly admitted that
the plans had been furnished by an
officer high in command in the
Federal army, but resolutely refus-
ed to disclose his name. A free
pardon was offered him and a safe
return within the Confederate lines,
on the condition that he would i'm
part the sources of his information,
but nothing could shake his resolu-
ton.
Gen. Dodge, finding it impossible
to move him in his stubborn deter
mination after repeated conferences,
, summoned a military commission,
of which Col. Madison Miller, of the
Eighteenth Missouri Infantry, was
president, for the trial of Davis on
the following charges and speciica
tiOns:
Charge l. Being spy. -Specif-
F cations: In this, that he, Samuel
+ Davis, of Coleman's scouts, in the
: service of the sO-called Confederate
! States, cid come within the lines OIL
the United States forces in Middle
: Tennessee for the purpose Of Sc
, cretly gaining information concern
ing these forces, and conveying The
, same to the enemy, and was ar
+ rested within said lines on or about
\ Nov. 90, 1868. This in Giles coun
a ty, Tenn.
Charge 2. Being q carrier o
mails, communications and infor-
nation from within the lines of thu
, United States army to persons il
b, arms against the government. Spec
- ifications: In this, that the saic
- Samuel Davis, on or about Nov. 90
1868, was arrested in Giles county
+ Tenn, engaged in carrying mail:
. and information from within the
/ lines of the United States forces tt
e persons in arms against the United
= States government.
= To which charges and specified
tions the accused pleaded as fol-
lows:
To the specification of frs
charge, Not guilty"
t To the second charge, Guilty
i After a patient Investigation o
= several days, the following were thC
j findings and sentence:
] The court finds the accused as
e follows:
OF the specifications to the frs
/ charge, "Guilty."
Y Of the first charge, Guilty"
!, Of the specifications to the sec
ond charge, Guilty"
OF the second charge, "Guilty-"
/ And the commission does, there
fore, sentence him, the said Samue
r Davis, Of Coleman's Scouts, in the
r service of the so-called Confederate
states, to be hanged by the neck
p until he is dead, at such time anC
t place as the commanding general
e may direct, two-thlrds of the mem
p bers of the commission concurring
f in the sentence.
Brig Gen. G. NJ. Dodge approx
ed the findings and sentence. The
sentence was ordered to be carried
! into effect Friday, Nov. q, 1868
J between the hours of 10 q. m. and
D 6 o'clock p. M, and Brig. Gen. t
| w. Sweeney, commanding Second
- Division, was ordered to cause the
f necessary arrangements to be made
= for carrying out the order in the
/ proper manner.
2 The prisoner was notified of The
, findings and sentence of the militia
ry commission by Capt. Armstrong
the local provost marshal, ano
! though manifesting some surprise
: at the severity of the punishment
, to be inflicted, he bore himself
bravely and showed not the CULVER
2 of a muscle. Later in the day
Chaplain Young visited him and
found him resigned to his fate.
: After prayer by the chaplain he in =
? quired concerning the news of the
E day, ard upon being told that Bragg
was defeated he expressed the deep
est regret,
f The scaffold for the execution OF
the prisoner-was built upon an ele-
vation on the eastern side of the
, town of Pulaski, near the college,
> and commanded an extensive view
The position could be seen from al
most every part of the town. AT
precisely 10 o'clock on the morning
of Friday, the 9th of November,
tISc2 tho DriSOnpr with piniOred